Outrigger accessory for watercraft



Oct. 4, 1966 B. B. DoLPH ETAL 3,276,413

OUTRIGGER ACCESSORY FOR WATERCRAFT Filed July 27, 1964 HAF/g5 E? //famy n United States Patent O OUTRIGGER ACCESSORY FOR WATERCRAFT Bryce B. Dolph, Westminster, and John D. Dolph, Thornton, Colo. (both of 37041 Porter, Romulus, Mich.

48174); Simeon U. Dolph, 7789 Pecos St., Westminster,

Colo.; and Charles E. Perito, 2535 W. 42nd Ave., Denver, Colo.

Filed July 27, 1964, Ser. No. 385,366 Claims. (Cl. 114-123) This invention relates to the stabilization of watercraft during use, and more particularly to the lateral stabilization of open craft in the boat category effective to substantially inhibit capsizing and to notably moderate rolling of the craft while afloat, and has as an object to provide novel and improved means applicable and available at option as a stabilizing supplement to boat units of diverse size, type, and structural particularity.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved stabilizer accessory suited for optional attachment to and adjustable use as an Outrigger with conventional boat units of wide diversity.

A further object of the invention is to provide an outrigger accessory for watercraft that is adjustable in convenient detachable association with a boat between extension to use position laterally outward from the boat and retraction to nonuse condition compa-ctly and exteriorly contiguous to the boat.

A further object `of the invention is to provide an outrigger accessory for watercraft that is selectively extensible in convenient detachable association with a boat to alternative use positions lateral-ly outward from the boat.

A further object of the invention is to provide an outrigger accessory for watercraft that is distinguished by novel and improved extensible and adjustable means employable either singly or in duplicate to operatively mount a oat.

A further object of the invention is to provide an outrigger accessory for watercraft that is expedient and economical of production in preferred sizes and specific adaptations, that a facile of attachment to and separation from a boat, that is amenable to wide variation of component detail, that is no significant impediment to customary use and operation of the boat Wherewith it is associated, that is durable throughout a llong life of practical use, and that is positive and efficient in attainment of the ends for which designed.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, our invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and operative combination of features and elements as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a typical embodiment of the invention applied, as shown in full lines, in operative relation with a boat which is fragmentarily represented sufficiently for adequate disclosure, length portions of certain of the illustrated components being broken away to conserve space and an alternative inoperative disposition of the equipment being indicated by broken lines.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section taken on a relativelyenlarged 'scale substantially on the indicated `line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the arrangement shown by full lines in FIGURE 1, `length portions of certain of the components being broken away to conserve space.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the telescopically-related features according to FIG- URES 1 and 3 as retained in an alternative retracted coaction.

3,276,413 Patented Oct. 4, 1966 ICC FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary, detail section taken on a relatively-enlarged scale `substantially on the indicated -line 5-5 of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 6 is a detail section taken substantially on the indicated line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view similar to FIGURE 1 showing on a relatively-reduced scale an alternative organization within the contemplation of the invention.

Herein referred to as boats, there is a rather vague category of watercraft embracing a wide variety of relatively-smaller, generally-open, powered and unpowered examples extensively in use. As variously, and often inexpertly, employed, lboats may be less than adequately stable under rigorous and adverse conditions of operation, prone to roll, swamp, and capsize with peril to the occupants, and beset with hazards of insecurity when afloat that warrant resort to protective measures, and the instant invention is hence directed to the provision of equipment convenient of attachment to and separation from boats yof' diverse particularity to function at option as outriggers capable of supplementing and enhancing the lateral stability of the associated boat.

In accordance with the principles and for realization of the purposes of the invention, the Outrigger accessory is, in a simple, practical embodiment, a. unitary operative combina-tion of a float 10, an attachment tting 11, Vand an arm 12 pivotally intercoupling the oat and tit- The function of the float 10 being but to oppose submergence with minimal resistance to translation relative to the surface of a water body, the float component of the accessory may be of any-preferred material, construction, and conformation productive of a highlytapered and streamlined, as typified Iby the showing of FIGURE l. In a size appropriate for its intended use,

the float 10 iixedly mounts a pivot 13 in outward projection from its midlength, it being feasible and expedient in a structural sense to form said pivot as a gudgeon fixed to outstand radially from a reinforcing band 14 embracingly secured to the float.

The attachment fitting 11 is provided for selective detachable association with and over the upper margin of the side wall of a boat to engage and support the outrigger accessory of the invention in operative relation therewith, and may be of any particular type, form, and construction effective to accomplish its purposes, such as, for example, that best represented by FIGURE 2. Organized as illustrated, the fitting 11 includes a rigid, U-shaped clip 15 having spacedly-parallel plates 15' and 15 arranged to embracingly receive therebetween the upper side margin 16 of a boat as the clip is inverted thereover. Adapted for disposition interiorly of the boat, the plate 15 threadedly mounts a clamp screw 17 perpendicular-ly therethrough which engages a pressure plate 18 reactive thereto between the plate 15' and 15" in an obvious and usual manner effective to secure and retain the clip 15 embracingly over and in a desired location along the boat margin 16, the opposed areas of the plates 15l and 18 presented for clamped coaction with the boat side wall desirably being faced, `as iat 19, with overlays of grip-enhancing deformable material appropriate to obviate damage to the surfaces of the boat thereby engaged. Attachment of the clip 15 to the boat margin 16 in the manner and by the means shown and described presents the plate 15" in a substantially vertical disposition exterior-ly at one side of the boat where said plate supports for rotation about `an axis transverse of the boat an angle bracket 20 operatively connected to the plate by a swivel stud 21 outstanding perpendicularly from one leg of the bracket lto coactive engagement within a pocket 22 formed on the exposed face of said plate. Thus one leg of said bracket 20 is related in closelyspaced parallelism `with and to rotate about the axis of the stud 21 exteriorly adjacent the clip plate 1S" in an arrangement wherein the perpendicularly-associated leg of the bracket extends laterally outward from ,the boat as a web 23 in oifset relation with, oppositely from, and parallel to the axis `of said stud, which web 23 pivotally ymounts the closed end of a generally-tubular arm section 24 engaged in substantial axial alignment with the stud for retention by and to rotate on a pivot 25 carried by said web outwardly from and parallel to the clip plate 15". As so connected to the bracket 20, the arm section 24 is conditioned :to swing closely subjacent the web 23 through an arc parallel to the axis of the stud 21 between perpendicular projection from the clip plate 15 in substantial coaxial alignment with the stud and a position generally parallel to said plate 15 in which the axis of the arm section is approximately perpendicular to the stud axis. Attached to the boat through the agency of the fitting 11 as shown and described, the arm section 24 is arranged to outstand laterally from the boat when in coaxial alignment with the stud 21 and to lie adjacent and generally parallel to the boat when axially perpendicular to said stud, at and between which dispositions provision is made for immobilizing said arm section at any selected station within its range of angular adjustment, as, for example, by means of a latch pin 26 insertable at option through one `of an arcuate array of angu-lar-ly-spaced holes 27 Iintersecting the web 23 to reception within a coregistered hole 28 in the adjacent Wall of .the arm section, whereby, as is obvious, to fix the arm section in a desired angular adjustment relative to the web.

The arm section 24 is the innermost component of a telescopically extensible and retractable arm unit assembly designated generally by the numeral 12, as hereinbefore noted, and serves to house and operatively support complementary arm sections 29 and 30 in any expedient arrangement subject to the bias of a spring, or springs, 31 effective to urge said sections to the limit of their relative extension. Variable as to structural detail and specic organization without impairment of its essential functions, Ithe multi-section arm 12 desirably is arranged to inhibit relative rotation of its section components and carries at its end yremote from the tting 11 a tubular sleeve 32 adapted for journalled reception of the float pivot 13 fixed-ly terminating the arm section 30 with the sleeve axis parallel to that of the arm-mounting pivot 25. However specifically interrelated, as illustrated or in a functionally-equivalent association, the arm sections 24, 29 and 30 react without separation to attain maximum coaxial extension under the expansive influence of the spring, or springs, 31 and are amenable to retraction against such influence effective to nest the sections 29 and 30 largely within the section 24 for an overall length of the said arm but little exceeding the length of said section 24, in which retracted condition the said sections are latched and retained for optional release to the expansive influence of the spring bias in any appropriate preferred manner, a manually-actuable detent 33 biased at the youtward end of each section 24 and 29 for latching coaction with a collar 34 adjacent the outward end of the section slidable therewithin being illustrated as exemplary of any desired such functional arrangement.' Since, as is readily apparent, the float 10 should ride with its length parallel to the boat and perpendicular to the arm 12 in the use disposition of the improvement and should longitudinally parallel both the boat and arm in the nonuse position of the equipment, provision is made in any feasible way to secure swung to parallel the boat, an arrangement eiective for the iloat length-perpendicular to the arm 12 when the 'f latter is transverse of the boat and alternatively to relate the float length-parallel to the arm when the latter is p positions.

such purpose being illustrated as a head 13' on the free end of the pivot 13 confining a relatively-shorter sleeve 32 thereon for pivotal coaction with some relative axial play, a spring 35 yieldably urging said sleeve against said head, integral lugs 36 diametrically of and instanding from :the head area opposed to the sleeve, and notches 37 for the reception of said lugs interrupting the end of the sleeve opposed to the head in a regular quadrantal separation; said lugs and notches being correlated on the float-fixed pivot and the arm-xed sleeve for optional and alternative interengagement through axial manipulation of the sleeve on the pivot and the inlluence of the spring 35 to secure and determine appropriate angular coaction of the float and arm.

Operation and use of the improvement as shown and described is simple and practical. With the sections of the arm 12 latched in retracted association and the oat 10 adjusted to retention length-parallel to said arm, the tting 11 is clamped to and over the side margin of the boat whereto Outrigger supplement is desired with consequent attachment of the bracket 20 to and exteriorly of the boat, the retracted arm carrying the oat isv adjusted on its pivot 25 and latched by means of the pin 26 to ltrail in exterior parallelism with the boat as the pivotal connection at the stud 21 allows the float to engage and ride upon the water about the boat, and the Outrigger accessory is thus attached in nonuse association to and for travel with the boat ready for extension and adjustment to use position at option. From the nonuse position indicated Iby broken lines in FIGURE 1 the accessory is applied to intended use through manipulations of the lloat pivot latch, latch pin 26, and detents accommodating adjustment of the arm 12 and float 10 to the relationships shown in full lines in said view wherein the extended arm 12 connects transversely of the boat with the float folset thereby from and parallel ito 'the boat to rellect water support of the oat with lateral stabilizing reaction on the boat; the available intermediate adjustments for the extended length of the arm and for the angular divergence of the arm from the boat affording a range of selective variation enhancing the utility of the accessory.

As exemplified by FIGURE 7, a pair of the -ttings 11 each mounting an extensible and retractable arm 12 by the means and in the manner above set forth may be utilized in association with a oat 10', feasibly longer and larger than the oat 10, to provide an Outrigger accessory suited for particular use situations. Outer ends of the paired arms 12 are connected to the single float 10 on like pivots xedly and radially outstanding from the float in spaced parallelism and attachment of the accessory to the 'boat is had with a separation of the ttings 11 functionally corresponding to the float pivot spacing, whereby to condition the paired arms 12 to swing in parallel with maintenance of the associated oat lengthparallel to the boat as the pivotally-intercoupled components are manipulated between use and nonuse dis- With two of the arms 12 present in pivotal connection to the same lloat, there is no occasion for any latch ararngement at the intercoupling of the arm and float, but otherwise the arms and ttings employable in duplicate with a single float may be the same as hereinbefore described in detail.

While the organization of the Outrigger accessory is illustrated 'as suited to function at the left-hand side of a boat, it is manifest that a simple reversal of the bracket 20 elements sutlices to adapt the assembly -for use at the other side of the boat, whereby, as is customary practice, each side of the same boat may be equipped with an outrigger supplement, or with a plurality thereof, ydetachable, shiftable, and employable at option.

Since changes, variations, and `modifications in the form, construction, and arrangement of the elements shown and described may be had without departing from the spirit of our invention, we wish to be understood as being limited solely by the scope of the appended claims, rather than by any details of the illustrative showing and fore going description.

We claim las our invention:

1. An outrigger accessory for watercraft comprising a oat, a fitting separa-bly clampable in embracing engagement over the upper side margin of a boat, a bracket revolubly carried by said fitting for disposition exteriorly of the boat with its rotational axis transverse thereto, a telescopically extensible and retractable arm pivotally connecting said float to said bracket to swing on parallel axes perpendicular to the rotational axis of the bracket, means for adjustably regulating the effective length of said arm, and other means for adjustably determining the angular correlation of said arm, fitting and lioat, wherein said bracket is vformed with a rigid web parallel to the axis of bracket rotation, the proximate end of said arm is attached to and beneath said web on a pivot fixed axially perpendicular thereto, and the means for adjustably determining the angular correlation of the arm and iitting includes a latch device selectively actuable to fix said arm relative to the web at stations spaced angularly of the Web.

2. An outrigger accessory for watercraft comprising a oat, a fitting separably clampable in embracing engagement over the upper side margin of a boat, a bracket revolubly carried by said fitting for :disposition exteriorly of the boat with its rotational axis transverse thereto, a telescopically extensible and retractable arm pivotally connecting said iioat to said bracket to swing on parallel axes perpendicular to the rotational axis of the bracket, means for adjustably regulating the effective length of said arm, and other means for adjustably determining the angular correlation of said arm, fitting and float, wherein said bracket is formed with a rigid web parallel to the laxis of bracket rotation, the proximate end of said arm is attached to and beneath said web by a pivot fixed axially perpendicular thereto, the other end of said arm engages a pivot ixedly upstanding from the oat parallel to the web-fixed pivot, and the means for adjustably determining the angular correlation of said arm and float includes a yieldable, angularly-variable interlatch of the float-mounted pivot and the end of the arm engaged thereon.

3. An Outrigger accessory for watercraft comprising a float, a tting separably clampable in embracing engagement over the upper side margin of a boat, a bracket revolubly carried by said fitting for -disposition exteriorly of the boat with its rotational axis transverse thereto, a telescopically extensible and retractable arm pivotally connecting said float to said bracket to swing on parallel axes perpendicular to the rotational axis of the bracket, means for adjustably regulating the eiective length of said arm, and other means for adjustably tdetermining the angular correlation of said arm, iitting and oat, wherein said arm is constituted .as a nested plurality of slidably-associated sections spring-biased to maximum relative extension, and the means for adjustably regulating the effective length of the arm is a latching tdetent carried by each greater section of the arm for retaining coaction with the respective slidavbly-associated section when the latter is retracted against the pressure of the extension-promoting bias.

4. An Outrigger accessory for watercraft comprising an elongated oat, like pivots fixed in parallel on and spaced apart longitudinally of said tloat, duplicate telescopically extensible and retractable arms individually -articulated at corresponding ends on said pivots, duplicate fittings separably clampable in embracing engagement over the upper side margin of a boat independently attached by pivots parallel to those of the oat to the ends of said arms remote from the iioat, and means for -adjustably determining the angular correlation of each said arm and the associated tting, wherein said arms are alike springbiased to a condition of maximum extension and furnished with means for releasably latching the same in a condition of retraction opposed by such bias.

5. An Outrigger accessory for watercraft comprising an elongated float, like pivots fixed in parallel on and spaced apart longitudinally of said float, duplicate telescopically extensible and retractable arms individually articulated at corresponding ends on said pivots, duplicate fittings separably clampable in embracing engagement over the upper side margin of a boat independently attached by pivots parallel to those of the oat to the ends of the arms remote from the float, and means forl adjustably determining the -angular correlation of each said arm and the associated fitting, wherein the means for adjustably determining the angular correlation of each said arm and the associ-ated fitting is characterized by a Web overlying the proximate end of the arm in fixed, perpendicular relation with the pivot attachment of the arm to the tting and a latch device selectively actuable to fix the arm relative to the web at stations spaced angularly of the latter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 67,846 8/1867 Cayce 114-123 X 346,642 8/1886 Clapham 1l4123 647,542 4/1900 Tuck. 1,195,863 8/1916 Snowden 114--123 1,710,625 4/ 1929 Kapigian 114-123 2,678,018 5/1954 Crisp 114--123 2,794,191 6/1957 Gaskouitz 114-123 X 2,938,492 5/1960 Kulick 114-230 FOREIGN PATENTS 499,627 2/ 1954 Canada.

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN OUTRIGGER ACCESSORY FOR WATERCRAFT COMPRISING A FLOAT, A FITTING SEPARABLY CLAMPABLE IN EMBRACING ENGAGEMENT OVER THE UPPER SIDE MARGIN OF A BOAT, A BRACKET REVOLUBLY CARRIED BY SAID FITTING FOR DISPOSITION EXTERIORLY OF THE BOAT WITH ITS ROTATIONAL AXIS TRANSVERSE THERETO, A TELESCOPICALLY EXTENSIBLE AND RETRACTABLE ARM PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID FLOAT TO SAID BRACKET TO SWING ON PARALLEL AXES PERPENDICULAR TO THE ROTATIONAL AXIS OF THE BRACKET, MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY REGULATING THE EFFECTIVE LENGTH OF SAID ARM, AND OTHER MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY DETERMINING THE ANGULAR CORRELATION OF SAID ARM, FITTING AND FLOAT, WHEREIN SAID BRACKET IS FORMED WITH A RIGID WEB PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF BRACKET ROTATION, THE PROXIMATE END OF SAID ARM IS ATTACHED TO AND BENEATH SAID WEB ON A PIVOT FIXED AXIALLY PERPENDICULAR THERETO, AND THE MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY DETERMINING THE ANGULAR CORRELATION OF THE ARM AND FITTING INCLUDES A LATCH DEVICE SELECTIVELY ACTUABLE TO FIX SAID ARM RELATIVE TO THE WEB AT STATIONS SPACED ANGULARLY OF THE WEB. 